Cats and people - just who owns whom!
As any cat owner will tell you there can be a dispute about owning a cat and having a cat own you. Depending on the bond that exists between you and your feline friend, this can change daily or even hourly. Cats, according to cats, are superior to any creature on earth. The behaviors exhibited by them illustrates this point clearly. How many cats have you witnessed ignoring their human handlers (until meal time). Have you ever really watched a cat and a dog together? Have you ever seen a dog actually catch a cat? I’ve frequently seen dogs move off with their tail between their legs after an encounter with a cat!
There are many behaviors that a cat uses to communicate with humans. There are the crazy mood changes from pure laziness to absolute happiness. Then there is stalking, pouncing and conquering. the nipping, tail switching, hissing tangle of fur that warns you to keep clear. Unless the tall two legged members of the family wish to live in fear and trepidation, it is wise to learn to interpret the vocalizations and body language of that small furry four legged family member early on in the relationship. In fact, the earlier the better!
Unfortunately when humans fail to understand, interpret and correctly react to the communications of a cat, it is often the cat that suffers. Many of them end up abandoned on the streets or perhaps if they are lucky, they might end up in animal shelters or rescue organizations.
In order for human and cat to co-exist peacefully, successful communication is essential. Just like in any other successful relationship.
Some signs that a cat is being irritated or over stimulated include:
- Tail twitching
- Ears back
- Hair raised
- Lack of purring or sudden stoppage of purring
If the above signs are ignored the cat may choose to grab our attention by nipping at the offending hand if petting was being done or a nip or scratch at any other available area of skin. This nip is really not something the cat does to be mean but is merely a way to attract your attention and to say, “I have had enough of petting”, or whatever the interaction has been between cat and human.
When you see your cat stalking or pouncing, it is exercising a natural instinct to hunt prey. The prey might be a toy, or your hand. However, when this behavior comes out of nowhere can be startling to us humans and we might lash out back. To a cat it is just good clean playful aggression and they won’t understand why you’ve reacted like that.
When a cat has had enough petting, play aggression is not far behind.
Cats usually do outgrow this behavior. Think of it as being like the ‘terrible twos’ in children. Us humans should always be aware of the location of the cat when entering a room so as to be prepared for any cat and mouse games the cat decides to play. If you see the cat in a pounce position be prepared that you just could be the prey. You can redirect this playful aggression before it happens by distracting the cat by tossing a cat toy in the opposite direction even by calling its name. This spoils the “incognito” role of the hunter.
Cats also love to dig. It is just one of those genetic tendency behaviors that allow them to scratch and dig to cover up evidence of litter box elimination that can be carried over into your flower pot or a laundry basket. Use unpleasant (to cats) smells such as citrus products, lavender or mothballs that can be sprayed in these areas to discourage kitty from enjoying these passions.
By using careful observation techniques, you will finally be able to understand your cat and will come to the realization that it really does own you!
I also strongly suggest you try getting hold of a copy of *How to Make Your Cat Adore You or *Kingdom of Pets: Complete Cat Training. Both are excellent e-books.
